Excel Stuck in Opening in Protected View

Problem:

When users try to open files, they encounter an error message stating, "The file is corrupt and cannot be opened". Additionally, when opening files, the Excel file is stuck loading in "Opening in Protected View".

Cause:

This issue typically occurs when Excel's Protected View settings are enabled. Protected View opens the file as read-only in a separate, secure sandbox environment to protect your computer from any viruses that might be embedded in the file.

Solution:

To resolve this issue, you need to change the Protected View settings in Excel. Here are the steps to do so:

Open Excel Options:
- Open Excel and click on the 'File' tab.
- From the dropdown menu, select 'Options'.
Navigate to Trust Center:
- In the Options dialog box, select 'Trust Center' from the list on the left.
- Click on 'Trust Center Settings'.
Change Protected View Settings:
- In the Trust Center Settings dialog box, select the 'Protected View' tab.
- You will see three options under the Protected View section. Uncheck the appropriate option based on your needs:
  - Enable Protected View for files originating from the Internet.
  - Enable Protected View for files located in potentially unsafe locations.
  - Enable Protected View for Outlook attachments.
- Click 'OK' to apply the changes.

After following these steps, Excel should no longer be stuck in "Opening in Protected View" when opening files.